Week 2b Research Ethics

RESEARCH ETHICS
We are going to look at established research ethics in three broad areas, namely, the
relationship between the researcher and people who participate in the study; the
expectations of professional colleagues from the researcher; and the relationship
between the researcher and animals used in the study.
Researcher-respondent relationship
Broad principles that govern the ethical conduct of researchers with
respondents/human beings participating in their study are as follows (Mark, 1996):
Respect for persons

 Researchers must treat participants as autonomous persons and must respect
their decisions, including the decision not to participate.
 The less powerful groups of participants such as children, the mentally ill
need special protection.
Beneficence
 The researcher has the obligation to cause no harm to the respondent.
He/she should be concerned about the welfare of the respondent including
mental, physical health, safety and take all precautions to avoid injury.
 The researcher should avoid questions or issues that may cause
embarrassment, guilt, discomfort or risks. Where such questions are
inevitable, they should be asked in a sensitive manner with due respect and
the respondent should be informed accordingly at the outset of the study. In
any case where harm to respondents is possible, the researcher must work to
maximize benefits to the individual and society and minimize harm to
participants.
Justice
 It is unjust for the powerless groups of society (e.g. the poor, racial and
ethnic minorities, prisoners) to be subjected to risky research studies because
of their powerless position.
The Principle of Informed Consent

Research participants must be competent to give informed consent. Researchers
must provide sufficient information about the study to allow potential participants to
decide for or against their participation. Individuals’ consent to participate must be
truly voluntary-it must not be coerced in any way. Social researchers must provide
the following information to all potential research participants:
1. Proper identity of the researcher and sponsor of the study. The researcher
should identify him/herself to the respondent and avoid giving false
impressions of the researcher or the project sponsor.
2. The purpose of the research, the procedures that will be followed and an
estimate of the amount of time that will be required.
3. Procedures that will be used by the researcher to ensure that their
participation and responses will be kept confidential.
4. A statement that their participation is completely voluntary. Participants must
be told that they can withdraw at any time without consequences. In addition,
their refusal to participate will not affect any benefits they may be entitled to.
For example, if the research takes place in an organization where the
potential participant is receiving a service, that service will in no way be
affected by the participant’s decision to refuse or withdraw from participation
in the study.
5. If the research involves more than “minimal risk”—that is risk greater than
what one would encounter in normal life—the informed consent procedure
must also include an explanation as to whether any compensation or
treatment is available in the event of an injury and where the participant may
obtain this.
6. Methods to be used to record their responses—writing down notes, tape or
video recording, still pictures. In case of recording and photographs,
permission should be sought from the respondent prior to data collection. It is
unethical to hide the currently available small easily concealable recorders in
your pocket and use it without the participants’ knowledge.
7. The right to privacy. Researchers should respect respondents’ privacy and
when asking questions should allow respondents to leave unanswered
questions for which they do not want to provide information.
This information should ideally be provided to potential participants in writing for

literate audiences. It usually forms part of the background or introduction of a
survey questionnaire or interview schedule. For illiterate respondents, the
information
should be read to them by the interviewer.
It is important to note that it may not always be possible to provide all these
elements of informed consent to participants. Researchers may justify omission of
some of this information in certain research situations if there is no more than
minimal risk to participants; if withholding this information will not violate the rights
of participants; and if the study would be impractical or impossible if all this
information were provided. In these types of studies, the researchers must show that
these conditions are true.
Anonymity and Confidentiality

Individuals who participate in a study have a right to know that all information about
them will be treated in a responsible manner. The researcher should ensure that
data is handled in a way that does not harm the participants. There are two issues to
consider here. Should you promise the respondents anonymity or confidentiality as a
way of safeguarding their identity? These two concepts are different and whichever
you choose to use depends on the nature of your study.
Anonymity is particularly important for studying sensitive information such as HIV

status, students’ evaluation of their instructors.
Under these circumstances, the researcher records the particulars of the respondent
such as the name, village etc. for purposes such as follow-up but adheres to the
following guidelines to ensure confidentiality:
 Solicit and record only information necessary to achieve the purpose of the
study
 All information that could reveal a participant’s identity should be stored in a
safe place. Only the researcher or study staff should have access to it.
 Questionnaires, interview schedules, field notes having participants’ names or
identifying information attached to them should be coded as soon as possible
after the data has been collected; after which participants’ identifying
information should be removed if possible.
 After data analysis has been completed, the original data should be destroyed
or put in a safe place for long-term storage if necessary.
 Data should be reported in such a way that it cannot be linked to individual
people in the study sample.
Professional Practice
Below are some ethical standards in professional practice
 Accuracy in data collection and processing. Researchers are expected to plan,
collect and process data by employing high professional standards using
systematic and acceptable procedures.
 Relevant research methodology. Methods and techniques should be chosen as
required by the research objective not for any other reasons.
 Appropriate interpretation of data. The researcher is expected to interpret
data according to acceptable methodological standards.
 Accurate reporting. Researchers are expected to accurately report the findings
of the study without any bias and also to explain the methods used in the
collection and analysis of the data. Research problems, errors or distortions
known to the researcher should be stated in the report.
 Fabrication of data is misconduct. Researchers should not publish findings on
data they did not collect.
 Falsification of data is misconduct. Researchers should not falsify data or
even change words.
 Misleading ascription of authorship. Researchers should not list authors in
their reports without their permission; should not attribute work to persons
who have not contributed and should attribute adequately work completed by
students, trainees or associates.
 Plagiarism. This can also be referred to as “intellectual theft”. It means
reporting other people’s work as though it is yours without appropriate
acknowledgement. Researchers should abstain from this.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What are the two major steps in the research process?
2. Summarise the key elements in a research proposal.
3. Explain the meaning of quantitative research.
4. Explain the meaning of qualitative research.
5. Why is it important for a researcher to be ‘ethical’?

Week 2b Research Ethics

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Week 2b Research Ethics

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Week 2b Research Ethics

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

RESEARCH ETHICS

Respect for persons

The Principle of Informed Consent

This information should ideally be provided to potential participants in writing for

Anonymity and Confidentiality

Anonymity is particularly important for studying sensitive information such as HIV

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.